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Glóin sighed。 'Moria！ Moria！ Wonder of the Northern world！ Too deep we delved there； and woke the nameless fear。 Long have its vast mansions lain empty since the children of Durin fled。 But now we spoke of it again with longing； and yet with dread； for no dwarf has dared to pass the doors of Khazadd？m for many lives of kings； save Thrór only； and he perished。 At last； however； Balin listened to the whispers； and resolved to go； and though Dáin did not give leave willingly； he took with him Ori and óin and many of our folk； and they went away south。
〃That was nigh on thirty years ago。 For a while we had news and it seemed good： messages reported that Moria had been entered and a great work begun there。 Then there was silence； and no word has ever e from Moria since。
〃Then about a year ago a messenger came to Dáin； but not from Moria 。 from Mordor： a horseman in the night； who called Dáin to his gate。 The Lord Sauron the Great； so he said； wished for our friendship。 Rings he would give for it； such as he gave of old。 And he asked urgently concerning hobbits； of what kind they were； and where they dwelt。 〃For Sauron knows；〃 said he； 〃that one of these was known to you on a time。〃
'At this we were greatly troubled； and we gave no answer。 And then his fell voice was lowered； and he would have sweetened it if he could。 〃As a small token only of your friendship Sauron asks this；〃 he said： 〃that you should find this thief；〃 such was his word； 〃and get from him； willing or no； a little ring； the least of rings； that once he stole。 It is but a trifle that Sauron fancies； and an earnest of your good will。 Find it； and three rings that the Dwarf sires possessed of old shall be returned to you； and the realm of Moria shall be yours for ever。 Find only news of the thief； whether he still lives and where； and you shall have great reward and lasting friendship from the Lord。 Refuse； and things will not seem so well。 Do you refuse？〃
'At that his breath came like the hiss of snakes； and all who stood by shuddered； but Dáin said： 〃I say neither yea nor nay。 I must consider this message and what it means under its fair cloak。〃
' 〃Consider well； but not too long；〃 said he。
' 〃The time of my thought is my own to spend；〃 answered Dáin。
' 〃For the present；〃 said he； and rode into the darkness。
'Heavy have the hearts of our chieftains been since that night。 We needed not the fell voice of the messenger to warn us that his words held both menace and deceit； for we knew already that the power that has reentered Mordor has not changed； and ever it betrayed us of old。 Twice the messenger has returned； and has gone unanswered。 The third and last time； so he says； is soon to e； before the ending of the year。
'And so I have been sent at last by Dáin to warn Bilbo that he is sought by the Enemy； and to learn； if may be； why he desires this ring； this least of rings。 Also we crave the advice of Elrond。 For the Shadow grows and draws nearer。 We discover that messengers have e also to King Brand in Dale； and that he is afraid。 We fear that he may yield。 Already war is gathering on his eastern borders。 If we make no answer； the Enemy may move Men of his rule to assail King Brand； and Dáin also。'
'You have done well to e；' said Elrond。 'You will hear today all that you need in order to understand the purposes of the Enemy。 There is naught that you can do； other than to resist； with hope or without it。 But you do not stand alone。 You will learn that your trouble is but part of the trouble of all the western world。 The Ring！ What shall we do with the Ring； the least of rings； the trifle that Sauron fancies？ That is the doom that we must deem。
'That is the purpose for which you are called hither。 Called； I say。 though I have not called you to me； strangers from distant lands。 You have e and are here met； in this very nick of time； by chance as it may seem。 Yet it is not so。 Believe rather that it is so ordered that we； who sit here； and none others； must now find counsel for the peril of the world。
'Now； therefore； things shall be openly spoken that have been hidden from all but a few until this day。 And first； so that all may understand what is the peril； the Tale of the Ring shall be told from the beginning even to this present。 And I will begin that tale； though others shall end it。'
Then all listened while Elrond in his clear voice spoke of Sauron and the Rings of Power； and their fing in the Second Age of the world long ago。 A part of his tale was known to some there； but the full tale to none； and many eyes were turned t Elrond in fear and wonder as he told of the Elvensmiths of Eregion and their friendship with Moria； and their eagerness for knowledge； by which Sauron ensnared them。 For in that time he was not yet evil to behold； and they received his aid and grew mighty in craft； whereas he learned all their secrets； and betrayed them； and fed secretly in the Mountain of Fire the One Ring to be their master。 But Celebrimbor was aware of him； and hid the Three which he had made； and there was war； and the land was laid waste； and the gate of Moria was shut。
Then through all the years that followed he traced the Ring； but since that history is elsewhere recounted； even as Elrond himself set it down in his books of lore； it is not here recalled。 For it is a long tale； full of deeds great and terrible； and briefly though Elrond spoke； the sun rode up the sky； and the morning was passing ere he ceased。
Of Númenor he spoke； its glory and its fall； and the return of the Kings of Men to Middleearth out of the deeps of the Sea； borne upon the wings of storm。 Then Elendil the Tall and his mighty sons； Isildur and Anárion； became great lords； and the Northrealm they made in Arnor； and the Southrealm in Gondor above the mouths of Anduin。 But Sauron of Mordor assailed them； and they made the Last Alliance of Elves and Men； and the hosts of Gilgalad and Elendil were mustered in Arnor。
Thereupon Elrond paused a while and sighed。 'I remember well the splendour of their banners；' he said。 'It recalled to me the glory of the Elder Days and the hosts of Beleriand； so many great princes and captains were assembled。 And yet not so many； nor so fair； as when Thangorodrim was broken； and the Elves deemed that evil was ended for ever； and it was not so。'
'You remember？' said Frodo； speaking his thought aloud in his astonishment。 'But I thought；' he stammered as Elrond turned towards him； 'I thought that the fall of Gilgalad was a long age ago。'
'So it was indeed；' answered Elrond gravely。 'But my memory reaches back even to the Elder Days。 E。rendil was my sire； who was born in Gondolin before its fall； and my mother was Elwing； daughter of Dior； son of Lúthien of Doriath。 I have seen three ages in the West of the world； and many defeats； and many fruitless victories。
'I was the herald of Gilgalad and marched with his host。 I was at the Battle of Dagorlad before the Black Gate of Mordor； where we had the mastery： for the Spear of Gilgalad and the Sword of Elendil； Aiglos and Narsil； none could withstand。 I beheld the last bat on the slopes of Orodruin； where Gilgalad died； and Elendil fell； and Narsil broke beneath him； but Sauron himself was overthrown； and Isildur cut the Ring from his hand with the hilt shard of his father's sword； and took it for his own。'
At this the stranger； Boromir； broke in。 'So that is what became of the Ring！' he cried。 'If ever such a tale was told in the South； it has long been fotten。 I have heard of the Great Ring of him that we do not name； but we believed that it perished from the world in the ruin of his first realm。 Isildur took it！ That is tidings indeed。'
'Alas！ yes；' said Elrond。 'Isildur took it； as should not have been。 It should have been cast then into Orodruin's fire nigh at hand where it was made。 But few marked what Isildur did。 He alone stood by his father in that last mortal contest； and by Gilgalad only Círdan stood； and I。 But Isildur would not listen to our counsel。
' 〃This I will have as were gild for my father； and my brother；〃 he said； and therefore whether we would or no； he took it to treasure it。 But soon he was betrayed by it to his death； and so it is named in the North Isildur's Bane。 Yet death maybe was better than what else might have befallen him。
'Only to the North did these tidings e； and only to a few。 Small wonder it is that you have not heard them； Boromir。 From the ruin of the Gladden Fields； where Isildur perished； three men only came ever back over the mountains after long wandering。 One of these was Ohtar； the esquire of Isildur； who bore the shards of the sword of Elendil； and he brought them to Valandil； the heir of Isildur； who being but a child had remained here in Rivendell。 But Narsil was broken and its light extinguished； and it has not yet been fed again。
'Fruitless did I call the victory of the Last Alliance？ Not wholly so； yet it did not achieve its end。 Sauron was diminished； but not destroyed。 His Ring was lost but not unmade。 The Dark Tower was broken； but its foundations were not removed； for they were made with the power of the Ring； and while it remains they will endure。 Many Elves and many mighty Men； and many of their fr